Raindrops, Lichen and High Flight

23Oct

I ventured out late afternoon, when the rain had stopped, to catch raindrops on flowers. A twig with Lichen had fallen from the Winter Flowering Cherry onto the Cotoneaster with its glorious red berries.

Di’s rose still blooming

Twig with lichen has fallen onto the beautifully berried Cotoneaster

Finding it hard to open today with no sunshine

Twig with lichen has fallen onto the beautifully berried Cotoneaster

White Poppy bud in late October

Pansy with raindrops

Today, one of my Blogger friends posted this beautiful poem, High Flight, which is one of Mr S’s favourites having found it some years ago. It was written by John Magee, Poet and Soldier, 1922–1941. In his seventh flight in a Spitfire Mk I, he had flown up to 33,000 feet. As he orbited and climbed upward, he was struck by words he had read in another poem — “To touch the face of God.” He completed his verse soon after landing. It never fails to move both of us and you can truly imagine the feelings of freedom as he ‘chased the shouting wind along’.

Wonderful poem isn’t it? Each line has some magic in it and each time I read it I find another special phrase. Sorry you have regrets re flying…. For me it is a wish to roller-boot that I will now never fulfil! 🙂

As a kid I flew most nights in my dreams. I would run, usually in fear and away from some danger, to the cliff edge and just take off, flying away with ease. I’ve “wheeled and soared and sung and chased the shouting wind along,” and been safe. 🙂